All they ever learned was that he drifted down the river on a flatboat." "And he never came back ?" "Not even a letter.

He simply disappeared, and no one knows to this day whether he is alive or dead.

At least if Judge Beaucaire ever received any word from him he never confessed as much to Haines.
However, the boy left behind tangible evidence of his existence." "You mean--" "In the form of a child, born to a quadroon slave girl named Delia.
The mother, it seems, was able in some way to convince the Judge of the child's parentage.

All this happened shortly before Beaucaire's second marriage, and previous to the time when Haines came to the Landing.
Exactly what occurred is not clear, or what explanation was made to the bride.

The affair must have cut Beaucaire's pride deeply, but he had to face the conditions.